We are now happy to offer photographic prints of the cover image to Vybz Kartel’s Mixpak album, Kingston Story. Taken by Ports Bishop, photos are available both framed and unframed, exclusive to the Mixpak store. Have Vybz Kartel in your living room every day.

We’re always happy to hear how our sounds have been making it across the globe and Germany are some of our biggest supporters. Now German producers & remixers Soul Force have donned us their take on Kartel’s ‘My Crew’ from the Kingston Story album (did you see the video yet?). For the track they teamed up with production duo Symbiz to create a dancehall-meets-dubstep bassline, and added popular Leipzig MC Ronny Trettmann into the mix for the full German version.

SPIN have just published this interview with Dre Skull, where he talks about life before Vybz, life with Snoop and a bunch more:

“For whatever reason, I’m most fascinated with pop music,” says Hershey, listing Miguel and 2 Chainz as artists who have inspired him. The Brooklynite’s fixation is present in the unity between his work’s supple structures and expectant melodies. And the subtle influence of hero Lee “Scratch” Perry, in particular, can be felt in the way his hits echo and resonate in their afterglow (Kartel’s “Half on a Baby,” for example). “In Kingston,” Hershey says, “dancehall DJs on the radio have a wide format and freedom in the music they play. On Zip FM, every genre is heard — disco mixed into house mixed into country mixed into dancehall.” His label’s releases mirror that philosophy: recent records traverse the deep waters of southern rap, underground club, house, and soca.

It’s ten years since Kartel released ‘Sweet To The Belly’, his cut on the crazy Egyptian Riddim produced by Blaxx. Now Manchester-based DJ/producer Samrai has given it the UK bashment relick. Here’s the exclusive 320 download, and show him love on his soundcloud below.